A Pheasant Surprise

Third blip of the new year, and 2nd bird shot. Ah well, they're just being so damned co-operative at the moment, and we're getting to see some unusual suspects (though the pheasant doesn't count as one, the surprise came because we were down at Duddingston Loch and he appeared from higher to feed with the gaggle of birds around the feet of a chap showering them with bread - it just seemed a big incongruous).

So to add to the roll call from the 1st (which was repeated in the garden before we went out, except for the woodpecker and bullfinches) today we had the company of: a stack of Canada Geese (who also took to the air); Mallard Ducks in comical flight; a stack of Coots getting a lot closer than normal; Swans, naturally; and Seagulls; a lone Lapwing; a couple of Mistle Thrushes; a cute wee Wren; a small flock of Long-Tailed Tits; and, looping round Duddingston Loch using the closed road then the Innocent Railway Path, a large Buzzard.

Not to be finished there a diversion through Figgate Park before getting home saw the same water fowl, with the addition of a grumpy looking Heron; and a slightly lost looking juvenile Cormorant.

Now I'm by no means a twitcher, but I do like birds, and I'm a member of the RSPB, s the last few days bird entertainment has been great!

The 2010 awards season could be getting decided early - after yesterday's 'Lack of Geographical Knowledge' contender, today the 'Irony of the Year' prize was launched. Popping into Asda for some needed supplies I overheard someone say to a colleague as I was passing, "It's like Chinese whispers isn't it?". Where's the irony? Well I heard it first time as, "It's like Chinese whiskers isn't it?" So within one hearing a workplace complaint has turned into an Asian feline...